How much do Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive make?
The median pay for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in the United States is $47,540 per year — about $22.86 per hour. Entry-level positions start near $33,280, while the most experienced professionals in the top 10% earn $66,350.
That is $13,850 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary range by percentile
Half of all Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earn between $38,830 and $58,000 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,280 | $16.00 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $38,830 | $18.67 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $47,540 | $22.86 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $58,000 | $27.88 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $66,350 | $31.90 |
Highest-paying states for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive pay at $59,910 a year, followed by Massachusetts ($57,940) and Washington ($57,330). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $37,340 — a gap of $22,570 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $59,910 | $28.80 | +26% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $57,940 | $27.86 | +22% |
| 3 | Washington | $57,330 | $27.56 | +21% |
| 4 | Connecticut | $57,210 | $27.50 | +20% |
| 5 | California | $55,400 | $26.63 | +17% |
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 1,707,000 people work as Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $49,350 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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